Editor’s note: Beth Challain is in the house guest blogging her awesome but easy Faux Joe’s recipe! So whether you’re looking for a meatless Monday or everyday vegetarian this recipe is for you! Thanks Beth!
Sloppy Lenny’s (aka Faux Joe’s)
Ingredients:
1 cup brown lentils
1 carrot diced small
1 celery stalk diced small
1 cup brown onion diced small
½ medium sized bell pepper, any color will do. I like red the best.
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 8oz can tomato sauce
½ 4oz can tomato paste
1 T vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 t coriander
1 t chili powder
1 t cumin
1 t dry mustard (or you can use Dijon or yellow if that is what you have)
Directions:
Cook your lentils according to package directions, typically bring a cup of lentils in 2.5 cups of water to a boil and then lower heat to simmer for 20 minutes or until just tender (you don’t want mushy lentils.)
While the lentils are cooking heat up your pot to medium. I use my big covered cast iron pot because food just seems heartier when it is cooked in that heavy colorful pot! Put 1 T of your preferred oil (I like grape seed since it can handle heat and doesn’t impart much flavor) into your pot and sauté the onion until it is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add the celery, pepper, and carrot and continue sautéing for 5 – 7 minutes. If you get a little browning in the bottom of the pot drop in a T of water and stir to release that deliciousness!
Once the veggies have gotten this great start to cooking you can add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and all the spices. This mixture can simmer on low until the lentils are done cooking. When the lentils are cooked (but not mushy!) you can remove them from the heat. If there is excess water in that pot then strain it out before you stir the lentils into your veggie base in the big pot. Allow the complete mixture to simmer for 10 minutes or longer, if you keep the heat on low is just stays warm until you need it.
If you are cooking it ahead you can put it in the fridge and warm it on the stove or in the microwave as needed. For my family of four I double this recipe and have it for dinner with Roger’s plank fries, although today I opted for Vegan Macaroni Salad. The leftovers make great after school and/or midnight snacks for the next few days. Within 5 minutes of arriving home from school even the most non-cooking teen can toss a few heaping spoonfuls on a paper plate and nuke it before sliding it onto burger buns that have been coated with ketchup.
Now you have Sloppy Lenny’s, aka Faux Joe’s!
Thanks Beth ! Keep em coming!
Good Eating and Table Talk,
Roger Scouton
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